over 1.5 million photographs of architecture worldwide, housed at the RIBA

The V&A collections include magnificent large scale architectural objects, including:

the eighteenth century Norfolk House Music Room

a colonnade from the fort at Agra

casts of antique and medieval building details

prints and drawings

In addition to the collection of architectural drawings, there are designs for interior decoration, textiles, furniture and other objects relating to interiors.

Access

You can access the collections in a number of ways - by visiting exhibitions, study rooms and libraries, and by using the extensive resources of the V&A and RIBA websites.

Exhibitions

You can view the collections on display at

the new Architecture gallery at the V&A, including the temporary gallery

occasional exhibitions at the RIBA

Libraries

The RIBA British Architectural Library is the largest and most comprehensive resource in the United Kingdom for research and information on all aspects of architecture. It is one of the finest collections of architectural material in the world and comprises:

Printed books

Periodicals

Drawings

The RIBA Photographs Collection

Archives

The collections are international in scope and cover a wide range of subjects, from prehistory to the present. In addition to architectural theory, practice and history there is material on allied subjects such as building and construction, civil engineering, structural engineering, landscape architecture, interior design and decoration, the decorative arts, town and country planning, and construction law.

Admission to the RIBA British Architectural Library is free, please bring in photographic I.D. such as a passport or driving licence.

Note that the Photographs, Books and Periodicals Collections of the RIBA are housed at the British Architectural Library, RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD

The Gilbert Collection at the V&A

Strawberry Thief by BAFTA award winning games designer Sophia George is a playful celebration of the work of Victorian designer William Morris. Uncover the famous Arts and Crafts design by drawing on your screen with your finger and watch your iPad transform from blank paper to an animated masterpiece.

Related objects

Sat 30 May 2015–Sat 28 November 2015

FREE TOUR: Regulary, on the last Saturday of the month, join this one hour tour which explores gender and sexual identities through a selection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) related objects in the V&A's rich collections.